System and method for loading application classes

Abstract

In an application, variants of a class may be generated and associated with different security permissions for the application. When a class is to be loaded, a determination is made as to the application's security permissions, e.g. by decoding a security token. The class is then retrieved from a repository that stores class variants matching the required security level. The retrieved class variant, which may have a full or a reduced functionality as appropriate for the security permission may then by loaded.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 determining, at a processing device, a class invoked by an application at run time; 
 decoding, at the processing device, a security token encoded in the application upon installation of the application; and 
 retrieving, from at least one memory store, a class variant based at least in part on decoding the security token; 
 wherein the variant defines a level of functionality of the application consistent with the security token. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising decoding, at the processing device, a security permission encoded in the security token. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of a plurality of class variants comprise a same namespace or a same application programming interface. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein a first class variant provides a first functionality; and 
 wherein a second class variant provides a reduced functionality in comparison to the first class variant. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising associating each of a plurality of class variants with a class variant repository. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing a plurality of class variants for the class in a repository with a plurality of class variants for at least another class having equivalent security permissions. 
     
     
       7. A device, comprising:
 a memory device configured to store instructions; and 
 a processing device configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device to:
 determine a class invoked by an application at run time; 
 decode a security token encoded in the application upon installation of the application to extract a security permission; and 
 load a class variant from a corresponding class store based at least in part on the decoded security token; 
 
 wherein the class variant is configured to define a level of functionality of the application consistent with the security permission. 
 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 7 , wherein the processing device is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device to associate each of a plurality of class variants with corresponding security permissions. 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 7 , wherein each of a plurality of class variants comprise a same namespace or a same application programming interface. 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 7 , wherein the processing device is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device to associate each of a plurality of class variants with a class variant repository. 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 7 , wherein the processing device is further configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory device to store the class variant for the class together with a class variant for at least another class having equivalent permissions encoded in corresponding security tokens. 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 7 ,
 wherein a first class variant provides a first functionality and is associated with a first security permission encoded in the security token; and 
 wherein a second class variant provides a reduced functionality in comparison to the first class variant and is associated with a second security permission encoded in the security token. 
 
     
     
       13. A computer-readable storage device including computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processing device, configure the processing device to perform operations comprising:
 decoding a security permission encoded in a security token upon installation of the application; 
 determining a class invoked by the application at run time of the application; and 
 accessing a variant of the class from a store corresponding to the class based at least in part on the security permission decoded from the security token; 
 wherein the variant of the class is associated with a level of functionality of the application consistent with the security permission. 
 
     
     
       14. The computer-readable storage device of  claim 13 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processing device, further configure the processing device to associate each of a plurality of class variants with corresponding security permissions. 
     
     
       15. The computer-readable storage device of  claim 13 , wherein each of a plurality of class variants comprise a same namespace or a same application programming interface. 
     
     
       16. The computer-readable storage device of  claim 13 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processing device, further configure the processing device to associate each of a plurality of class variants with a class variant repository. 
     
     
       17. The computer-readable storage device of  claim 13 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processing device, further configure the processing device to store the class variant for the class together with a class variant for at least another class having equivalent permissions encoded in corresponding security tokens. 
     
     
       18. The computer-readable storage device of  claim 13 ,
 wherein a first class variant provides a first functionality; and 
 wherein a second class variant provides a reduced functionality in comparison to the first class variant. 
 
     
     
       19. The computer-readable storage device of  claim 18 ,
 wherein the first class variant corresponds to a first security permission encoded in the security token; and 
 wherein the second class variant corresponds to a second security permission encoded in the security token. 
 
     
     
       20. The computer-readable storage device of  claim 19 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processing device, further configure the processing device to:
 store the first class variant in a first repository; and 
 store the second class variant in a second repository distinct from the first repository.